Solano Sheriff Department takes over Solano College policing on Monday

The Solano County Sheriff's Department will bolster its policing services of Solano Community College on Monday under a new arrangement between the school and the law enforcement agency.

Sheriff's Lt. Jeff Brackett said he will be serving full-time on the campus on Monday, with sheriff security officers also in place at the Vallejo and Vacaville satellite campuses.

A formal agreement is still being negotiated and likely will be taken to the board in mid-July or the first week of August, Solano College President Jowel Laguerre said.

"They have been providing services because we've been short-staffed," Laguerre said. "We're still negotiating."

Interim Solano College Police Chief Scott Paulin will serve his last today while retired Vacaville Lt. Ed Goldberg will return to the campus to assist in the transition, Brackett said.

Though the formal agreement between Solano College and the Sheriff's Department has yet to be cemented, Brackett said plans are well underway for the new policing arrangement.

Between 12 and 15 deputies and security officers will be assigned to the three campuses, he said.

"We plan to staff the main campus with a deputy sheriff for most of the day, 7:30 a.m. to midnight as well as have a Sheriff's security officer there," Brackett said. "There will be a minimum of two on campus."

Sheriff security officers also will be on hand at the Vallejo and Vacaville campuses, Brackett said. Sheriff security officers are armed and are the same as those who secure the Solano County Courthouse.

Sheriff's officers on patrol will also roll through the campuses on weekends on other times, he added.

Solano College has been negotiating with the Sheriff's Department on the plan to replace the current campus police services with deputies and security officers.

Under the matter that goes before the Solano College board, police services will be provided under the existing contract, Brackett said.

Brackett said the arrangement will be a big improvement over existing conditions, which currently has includes only a handful of part-time officers.

"Our deputies are already familiar with the campus," he added. One deputy assigned to the school has provided security for California State University in Sacramento.

"We have a deputy out there assisting. He's been out there for the last month helping them," he added.

The campus has been examining various options to improve police security at the main campus and at the two satellite campuses.

A 22-year veteran of the Solano Sheriff's Department, Brackett is assigned to court security, prison transport and marine patrol.